Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen): Same good looks with several refinements

The round display of the new Moto 360, which has a resolution of 360 x 330 pixels, still sports the "flat tyre" design.

PHOTO: Motorola

In my opinion, the original Motorola Moto 360 was the best Android Wear smartwatch last year with its good looks, slim bezel and great all-round performance.

The second generation Moto 360 retains most of the design elements of the original. It still features a round design with a very thin bezel.

The round display, which has a resolution of 360 x 330 pixels, still sports the "flat tyre" design. There is a small black space containing an ambient light sensor at the bottom of the display.

The watch comes in several versions. The one I tested has a 46mm silver stainless steel case with brown leather strap ($549). There is also a 42mm rose-gold stainless steel model with a very light- brown leather band ($499) for ladies, and a 42mm black stainless steel model with black leather band ($479).

I like the "flat tyre" design. It ensures that alerts and notifications are visible all the time.

In terms of design, it offers several refinements over the original. For one thing, the crown or Home button has been moved up slightly to the two o'clock position, making it easier to access with your index finger. The case also now sports stylish lugs to attach the straps.

The Horween leather strap is one of the best straps to come with a smartwatch. It is soft, does not wrinkle much and feels very comfortable to the skin.

The watch is IP67 certified and comes with scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass. It is not as scratch-resistant as sapphire glass, but good enough for me.

Voice commands, the built-in heart rate sensor and pedometer all work without a hitch.

Battery life is average at two days. If you use a watch face that has more animations or if you turn on the brightness boost, you might have to charge it each day.

TECH SPECS

PRICE: From $479

CASE MATERIAL: Stainless steel

COMPATIBILITY: Android 4.4 or higher and iOS 8.2 or higher

WEIGHT: 62g (with leather strap)

RATING

FEATURES: 4/5

DESIGN: 5/5

PERFORMANCE: 4/5

BATTERY LIFE: 3/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 4/5

OVERALL: 4/5

Verdict: If you are looking for a value-for-money Android Wear smartwatch, the Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen) is the one to get. That is, if you can get over the flat tyre.

This article was first published on Dec 23, 2015. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.